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I understand that it’s not the law for motorcycle riders in Hawaii to wear a helmet, but I just think riders would due to the safety factors alone.

I was reading the law on them and then realized these laws are more then 25 years old. Is it time to revisit the helmet law in Hawaii? Here is the 1970 and 1973 court decisions on the laws:

“Former helmet requirement was proper exercise of police power. — Former subparagraph (1)(A), which required a safety helmet, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to it were within the proper exercise of police power. The accelerating rate of deaths and injuries due to motorcycle accidents, coupled with the increase in motorcycle registrations, had reached such proportions and the class of motorcycle users had become so large and widespread that the continued viability of society required that they protect themselves from physical injury or death.” State v. Lee, 51 Haw. 516, 465 P.2d 573 (1970).

“Former helmet requirement for motorcyclists did not violate equal protection. — In view of the underlying differences between cars and motorcycles with respect to the protection against head injuries afforded their respective users, a legislative distinction between them in terms of the mandatory wearing of helmet was reasonable and did not violate the equal protection rights of motorcyclists.” State v. Cotton, 55 Haw. 138, 516 P.2d 709 (1973).